News

Laos is not exactly a heavy hitter in Southeast Asian energy production. Each year, the country produces approximately 8.2 billion kWh of electricity, less than one-tenth the generation capacity enjoyed by Vietnam and other neighbors. But this country of 6.77 million is nonetheless taking on strategic importance as ...

Scientists say the Southeast Asia’s rapid development is driving deforestation in the vital Mekong Subregion, and threatening scores of species in one of the world’s most bio-diverse ecosystems. Trafficking in plant and animal wildlife is accelerating the trend, and governments are being pressed to do ...

China’s devaluation of the yuan has sent shockwaves through global markets. Edwards, of the bank Société Générale, argues that as well as creating a challenge for China’s Asian rivals, by making its exports more competitive, a cheaper yuan will send “a tidal wave of deflation” breaking ...

Many more companies are planning to invest in special and specific economic zones (SEZs) in Laos after witnessing the potential to benefit from the coming regional integration, according to a recent report. Keep reading   ...

Police in Myanmar’s commercial capital Yangon have arrested one suspect and are searching for another they say were involved in what may be the country’s largest seizure of amphetamines to date, an official said on 12 August. Authorities discovered more than 26 million tablets of the illegal ...

Authorities in Laos have released a young woman who had been detained for more than two months after a photo she took was posted on Facebook, allegedly showing police officers extorting money from her brother during a stop for a traffic violation, according to a ...

The death toll from severe flooding across Myanmar has topped 100, state media have reported, with nearly 1 million people affected as fears intensify for the country’s crucial rice bowl region.  Floods from a heavy monsoon season have cut through South and Southeast Asia in recent ...

Western Myanmar is bracing itself for more foul weather as the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology yesterday forecast additional rain along the southern Rakhine coast and Ayeyarwady Region.  The department forecast heavy rain in northwest Myanmar and southern Ayeyarwady Region until 14 August. Keep reading ...

Vietnam’s customs sector should build on the positive outcomes in the past two years and further reduce procedure processing time, an official told a workshop in Hanoi on 11 August, adding that a one-day reduction in customs clearance time in cross-border trade could save the economy ...

The Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry will open a representative office in Hanoi latter this year to embrace economic links with Vietnam.   Minister Mustapa Mohamed made the announcement to reporters after his attendance at a dialogue with members of the ASEAN Business Club.   Keep reading ...